You Can Break Me
by Rikki Writinglover
Summary: Clint and Pepper fell in love. Tony saw, and let Pepper go because he loved her and wanted her to be happy. When he tries to run away though, Natasha follows, refusing to leave him and the two get closer through their heartbreak. After a while, something a little more than friendship develops between the two, but can Natasha admit it and let Tony into her heart before its too late?
1. Chapter 1

Tony took a deep breath wrapping his arms around himself desperately to keep himself from starting to sob again. His hands were shaking terribly and he knew his eyes were red and raw. He'd been crying for hours before this, before he accepted what he had to do. Before he made the decision that was going to be the hardest thing he'd ever done. This would tear his heart out of his chest and shatter it into a million pieces, but he knew he had to. He couldn't be selfish anymore; he had to think of others. So pulling a fake smile, Tony pulled himself together the best he could and stepped into the living room he and Pepper shared, feeling very much like a man marching to the end.

"Pepper?" He tried to keep his voice in check as he rounded the corner and saw Pepper laid out on the couch smiling at her phone. Her long red hair was falling in front of her face, her silky blue nightgown making her pale skin glow in the moonlight. Her eyes were twinkling with a completely happy smile gracing her face. He would usually be overjoyed to see that rare smile, but as his heart fractured a little more and he just couldn't bring himself to it. Because he knew that smile wasn't for him. It would never be for him again. She looked up and smiled at him brightly, tucking her hair behind her ear and sitting the phone down. "Hey baby, what's up?" She said cheerily patting the spot on the couch next to her for him to come and sit, looking completely content. Her act would be completely convincing if he wasn't a genius. Sometimes he wished he wasn't, it seemed to cause him so much more pain in the long run. But he was and he painfully noticed the smile she was giving him now wasn't nearly as genuine as before, and it felt like dagger to the heart.

He smiled painfully and sat down in front of her. "Pepper, I love you. I have always loved you, more than anything I ever had and I'd give up everything for you." Pepper's eyes went wary, smile fading at his tone. He tried not the shake his head or scowl. She probably thought he was dying again, or proposing. Both things he knew she wouldn't want, both of which he'd rather the situation be at the moment, anything to get away from the crushing anguish in his oh so fragile heart. Tony gulped and tried to hold back the tears stinging in his eyes, he broke her gaze and let his eyes drift to the floor. "Pepper, when Clint and Natasha broke up, he was brokenhearted and you were there for him when I couldn't be because I sucked at emotions. You two became nearly inseparable. I tried not to see it, I knew you weren't actually doing anything; you aren't like that… I saw the look though. You started looking at him like you use to look at me."

Tony closed his eyes tight for a moment, desperately pushing back the tears and swallowed hard, trying to erase to agony of his confession off his face. "I want to break up Pepper. Clint is my best friend, I see him looking at you the same way. You're in love, both of you, and I care too much about you both to ever keep you from each other. I'm ending it Pepper; I want you to be truly happy, both of you."

Suddenly two arms were firmly wrapped around him, knocking him slightly off balance. "Oh god Tony…I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry I did this to you. I can't believe you would do this for….. I do love you Tony…so much it's just…." His eyes fluttered for a moment and he scowled himself for the sudden disappointment running through his veins. He was stupid for that little hope in the back of his mind she would tell him he was wrong. So stupid.

With a shuttering breath Tony closed his eyes again tightly inhaling the smell of Pepper's tropical shampoo as her hair tickled his face. He tried to savor it knowing that it would be the last time he ever would be this close t to her like this. The last time he could ever hold the woman he loved more than life itself in his arms. With shaking hands he brought his hand up to her back and pulled her a little closer, rubbing comforting circles onto her back. He felt a sharp sting of guilt feeling her warm tears drop onto his shoulder, but quickly pushed it away, trying to tell himself that this wasn't his fault. "It's just you love him more….." He finished for her and felt her sob, trying his best to hold back one of his own.

"Tony, I'm so sorry I never meant for this to happen, the last thing I ever wanted to happen was to hurt you, we never would have…." He smiled ruefully and pushed her away a bit, looking into her eyes and pushing a stray hair out of her face, so he could look into her beautiful blue eyes shining with fresh tears.

"I know Peps. I'll be okay, I always am right?" He tried joking but it came out as more a small whimper and he quickly leaned up pressing a small kiss to her forehead. "I will always do what it takes to make you happy Pepper. Remember that alright? Even after this, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. I still want you in my life Pepper, Clint too. I'm not mad at either of you. I'm gonna go now though, alright? I need some time. Go tell Clint in person. Tell him congratulations for me."

More tears fell down Pepper's pale face, red tear streaks marring her usually clam attitude. Tony ran his hand through her hair one last time before kissing her softly on the lips and pulling away from her grasp, escaping as the first tears started to fall, running as far away from the woman who had held his heart for so long as he could get.

Natasha sighed sadly with regret as she watched Tony run from Pepper. She felt bad for spying, even if it was her job. She honestly hadn't been trying to, she was just looking through the vents for Clint's watch, and he lost it somewhere in here and couldn't come find it because his leg was broken, much to his distress. She just happened upon Tony ending his relationship with the only woman he ever loved. Wonderful.

Natasha let her eyes drift towards Pepper as she watched the other redhead drop back onto the couch and collapse into sobs. Natasha felt a pang of sympathy for the woman, but right now she had to find Tony. She had seen the burning pain in his eyes as he pulled away from Pepper. He was breaking and he needed someone, and his usual go to guy Clint…..well even if Clint would always be there for Tony there was no way he could help him now. Natasha had seen this coming, even if Clint and Pepper were trying to deny their feeling for each other; she had assumed that Pepper would finally end it. This… caught her by surprise. She had thought Tony was oblivious to Clint and Pepper's growing feelings for each other. She couldn't say she liked being wrong.

Natasha had never been oblivious though. She'd seen it right after she broke up with Clint, and it ate at her cold heart every day. The only thing making it bearable was that she never had to see them kiss, or actually be together as a couple, because neither party could do that to Tony. Now Tony had given them blessing, and she knew it wouldn't be too long before they were officially together. Natasha briefly debated finding Bruce and sending him after Tony, but not only was it too late at night; she knew that he couldn't help. There was only one person who could understand how Tony was feeling right now, and that was her. She knew because she was still in love with Clint, so if the heartbreak she was feeling was anything like Tony's, he needed her, and she planned on being there.

**Alright I'm not super confident about this story, I've never written for pairing other than Clintasha and Pepperoni, so writing IronWidow is a challenge that I couldn't ignore. This story just took root in my brain and refused to go away. I've got a pretty good plot thought out for this story though, so I hope you'll bare with me. IN NO WAY DO I HATE PEPPER OR CLINT! Clint is my second favorite avenger, next to Tony, and Natasha is pretty close too, so I don't want to hate on any of the, even if I can't avoid a little of , please Review! Love you all!**


	2. Chapter 2

Tony tried to hide his shuttering breath as he quietly moved a tool through his fingers. There was no music playing, and for once everything was still. Dummy sat nearby, on the ready in case Tony needed him. All his bots were worried about him, for Tony Stark was never quiet. Tony didn't even know how long he sat there weaving the small screwdriver like tool between his fingers before he heard the soft sound of crutches clicking on the floor and he took a deep breath knowing there was only one person it could be.

"Hey Clint." Tony tried to put his usual cheeriness into the greeting, but it just sounded tired and resigned. It wasn't exactly surprising; he had just lost the love of his life to his best friend a little over an hour ago.

"Tony, don't you "Hey Clint" me." Clint's voice is irritated and worried and Tony just sighs sadly sitting the tool down and turning to face his friend. "What exactly do you want me to say Clint?" He puts a little more bite into that then intended and immediately feels guilty, though he's not sure why he's the one feeling so guilty tonight. Thoughtfully Tony looked into Clint's eyes for a moment, not use to the worry being etched in his best usually happy face.

Clint looks down in shame for a moment, a piece of his hair falling in his face as he shifts his weight back and forth on his crutches. "Yell at me… or cry….or kick me out… or… you told Pepper you were okay with us being together? You broke up with her so we could be together? Why would you even do that, I'd never want to hurt you Tony, I don't want to risk our friendship…"

Tony just sighed rubbing his forehead. "I'm not going to yell. Or kick you out. Yes, I did what I had to do. You two are happy together; I won't stand in the way. I still care about you both its just….could you please…..give me some time alone?"

Clint opens his mouth to speak, head shooting up, but instead he just closes it and nods sadly, turning and heading out of the lab. Tony just pretends he doesn't hear the small "Thank you." Clint whispers as he slips out the door. Clint pretends he didn't see the tears in Tony's eyes when he turned away.

Natasha sighed as she quietly made coffee for Tony in his kitchen. Pepper left shortly after Tony broke it off, grabbing a few of her belongings and heading to the guest rooms, not ready to move in with Clint yet. Natasha had seen Tony come back from the lab, and head to his room. So she snuck in ready to ambush him and comfort him rather he liked it or not. Everyone knew Tony didn't sleep much, and Natasha was positive after all that happened tonight he wouldn't be in his room very long before he gave up and wondered into his kitchen for coffee and straight into her.

Slowly she pulled out Tony's favorite coffee mug, the one everyone teased him for using every morning because it had Iron Man's face on it. She poured the coffee in and dumped half the carton of Warm Vanilla Sugar Cookie creamer, and five sugar cubes. Just the way Tony liked it, half caffeine, half sugar coma. Sighing Natasha sat down with her own coffee, a drop of creamer and two sugar cubes, waiting for the genius to make an appearance. She didn't have to wait long.

About ten minutes after Natasha sat down; Tony emerged from his room, dressed completely in a nice dress shirt and slacks, a simple bag slung over his back as he went for the elevator. It was right between the kitchen and Tony's bedroom, so confused, Natasha quickly jumped up and intercepted him. She slipped right in front of him and glared, hissing with disapproval. "Tony Stark, where do you think you're going?" Tony's tired brown eyes went wide at her presence, his sleep deprivation making it take him a moment to realize she was standing between him and the elevator on his personal floor.

"Natasha? What are you doing in here?" His voice wasn't harsh, just genuinely shocked as Natasha stood crossing her arms tapping her foot impatiently. "I was here to talk to you, made you coffee and everything." Tony's eyes went wide again and they darted to the kitchen finding the truth in the statement from his untouched mug sitting steaming on the table.

"Why- Oh. You heard." Tony's face fell into despair that he quickly tried to cover up, throwing up a half smile and raising an eyebrow in surprise. "Thank you, for…thinking of me." He whispered sincerely, but with a sharp distance heartbreakingly obvious. Natasha sighed; glare fading immediately and gently pulled him towards the kitchen table, shoving the mug in his hands. "Talk. Where are you going?" She snapped trying very hard to sound curious and not worried. Black Widow doesn't do worried. She leaned back on the counter crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow, waiting for Tony, who was sipping coffee nervously, to answer.

"I'm… well …..I'm leaving Avengers Tower for a while." Natasha's eyes narrow and it takes all her restraint to keep from growling at him. "What do you mean, leaving?" Tony just keeps his eyes firmly locked on his feet, avoiding her eyes at all costs. "I'm just… going to one of my other houses for a while. I can't watch them be together all the time yet Natasha, I'm not ready. I've got to get some distance before I come back." His voice is barely above a whisper and Natasha lets her jaw drop slightly, not use to Tony acting so….painfully human. So vulnerable.

"So… why are you leaving Tony?! Ask Pepper or Clint to leave, just for a little while." Tony's head shoots up in complete shock; mouth gaping at the suggestion like Natasha had just recommended banning all coffee.

"What-? I couldn't…. no Natasha, this is their home!" His voice is so sad and protective it makes Natasha want to cry. Tony runs a hand through his matted hair, face red and puffy from crying for so long, his voice a bit horse from sobbing. He's so sad and lost Natasha doesn't even know what to do, she just bites her lip angrily and tries to keep her voice even. "Tony this was Stark Tower before the Avengers. This is your home." She says it sweetly, trying to calmly talk some sense into the billionaire, but he just shakes his head resolutely.

"No Natasha….. Not right now. I honestly don't know if I've ever even had a home. Thank you though, I'm gonna go, before Rogers comes by with that ridiculous nightly checkup of his. My planes waiting for me and if he catches me he won't let me leave. See you soon." With that he quietly sits down the coffee and goes for the elevator again, but Natasha quickly makes a decision she's not letting Tony run and shot across the room grabbing Tony's wrist tightly. "I'm coming with you." She whispers so quietly Tony almost misses it.


	3. Chapter 3

"What?" Tony gaped at her and Natasha took a deep breath before looking him straight in the eye. "I. Am. Coming. Too. You think I want to see them together yet Tony? We can do this together. You don't have to leave alone." Tony studied her for a moment then nodded. "Alright Natasha. JARVIS! Add the fact that Natasha is with me to my message for everyone please."

Natasha raised an eyebrow as JARVIS responded. "_Yes sir." _ "What message?" Tony just shrugged tiredly running a hand through his hair. "Simple. Leaving for a while, somewhere else, didn't say where. Said that if there's a real problem they need me for I'll know, and I'll be there. Didn't give them any way to track me, and just now I added that you're coming with me."

Tony yawned and reached around Natasha pressing the elevator button. Natasha narrowed her eyes and moved out of the way of the elevator door. "Doesn't Pepper know about all of your houses?" Natasha felt a little guilty for no reason at all when Tony flinched in pain at Pepper's name. He quickly got rid of it though and sighed. "Not all of them." Natasha opened her mouth to respond when the elevator beeped and the doors slide open. Tony smirked and held out his arm in a "After you" Gesture. Natasha just rolled her eyes and stepped in, Tony behind her pressing the button for the main floor.

"Does Happy know where you're going?" She asked out of pure curiously and the desperate need to break the awkward silence as the slow elevator music hummed, setting her on edge. Tony just raised a tired eyebrow and leaned on the wall with a "THUMP". "Not exactly where, but yeah he knows the general place." Natasha just nods as the doors slide open again and they make their way out to the limo quietly. Tony takes one more long lasting look at her and opens the door for her, which shocks her because Natasha didn't expect Tony to be the guy who opens doors for you. "Are you sure you want to go with me Natasha? This isn't guilt or some stupid sense of duty or something?"

Natasha studies him for a moment. The bags under his eyes, hair tousled from running his hands through it endlessly, face red and puffy. The lingering pain and desperation in his eyes that ate at her more than she expected, and she didn't really know why.

"No, Tony. I'm sure, this isn't duty or guilt." Natasha gives him a real smile and it earns her a soft one in return. They both slip in the limo and sit in a comfortable silence as the car carries them away into the darkness.

…..

Tony smiled weakly at Natasha's sleeping form in her cocoon that was a chair on his jet. It was one of his smaller planes, completely white and a just soft and warm atmosphere. They had been flying all night and Natasha had finally dozed off. She looked so much sweeter sleeping, red curls splaying over the white of the seat, blanket covering her body all the way to her chin, making her head the only thing not covered in white. Tony was grateful that she cared enough to be there for him, he just wasn't sure if it was a good idea on her part. He was quite aware he would probably be the worst company ever. Epically where they were going….

He quickly shook himself out of it and threw a seat pillow at Natasha, not surprised at all when she shot of the chair knife in the air. Blinking quickly it took her a moment to take in her surroundings and give him a bitter scowl. "What the hell Stark? I was sleeping." He just pointed to the window and smirked. "Sunrise on a jet? Totally worth missing a few minutes of sleep." Natasha's eyes immediately lit up in understanding and she rushed to the window, eyes happy and glowing as the golden glow washed over her skin, the pinks and purples lighting up the sky beautifully. A real smile shown on her face and she pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes, her pale skin practically glowing in the light.

Tony was breathless for a moment. "_Damn she's beautiful."_ He thought before shaking himself out of it and looking away. "_You're just missing Pepper you idiot, don't think things like that, Natasha is not a rebound."_

….

"What do you mean GONE!?" Pepper said frantically as she ran into the group kitchen, Bruce, Clint, and Steve watching her nervously. It was only them today since Thor was in Asguard at the moment. "What's wrong Pepper?" Clint said worryingly quickly jumping up and putting a comforting hand on her back, earning them two curious looks.

"He left Clint! They both did!" Clint's face fell and he dropped onto the bar face in his hands. "DAMMIT! Where?! We have to find him!" Pepper sighed miserably. "Jarvis won't tell me. They left a message." Clint froze for a moment then looked up shocked, "Wait, they?" Pepper nodded. "Natasha went too."

"HEY!" Steve suddenly interrupted irritably, making both of them jump. "Could you two please explain to us what's going on!?" Clint and Pepper's eyes dropped to the floor in shame, and Clint cleared his throat to speak reluctantly. "Pepper and I…we fell for each other after Nat and I broke up. We weren't going to do anything about it, Tony is my best friend and Pepper still loves Tony, but he figured it out and dumped Pepper last night. Now he's gone. So is Natasha."

It was quiet for a moment before there was a loud crash and everyone's eyes shot to Bruce who had just thrown his plate to the ground, glass littering the floor. His eyes were emerald green and he glowered at both of them. "What is WRONG with you two!? How could you!? JARVIS PLAY TONY'S DAMN MESSEAGE!"

_"Of course Dr. Banner. Sir asked me to inform you this morning that last night he decided to leave for a while; he doesn't know when he'll be back. He left you no way to track him down, but he said not to worry, that if there is an emergency he will be here, you can count on it. Also he took Ms. Romanov with him after she demanded to be taken with him as he departed this morning."_

"Sounds like Nat…." Clint grumbled earning a death glare from both Steve and Bruce. "You two are really something you know that?" Steve growled leaving and Bruce didn't even bother looking at either of them storming off after Steve, and Pepper and Clint were left alone. "_I would like to comment that if Mr. Stark had not personally instructed me to be polite to both of you I would have kicked you both out of this tower at gunpoint." _Jarvis stated, sounding strongly pissed off and scary for a computerized voice.


	4. Chapter 4

"Tony this place is stunning!" Natasha gasped in real awe as Tony and Natasha came through the door of Tony's house. Tony smiled softly as Natasha spun around gracefully looking at everything.

The house was beautifully done in maroon and light sandy brown, small and not to extravagant, perfectly rustic. There was a loveseat in the center of the living room, perfectly made for two people, big red pillows on the back, in front of the flat screen T.V. on the wall, above the mantle and giant fireplace. The far wall on the same side as the door was a huge window showing the pine trees, and the lake not too far from the house. A window seat lined it, pillows set up tasteful around it, perfect for someone to curl up and read, like Natasha had seen Pepper do around the…oh. It all made since now. Pepper's favorite colors, the lake near the mountains where Pepper loved… spacious and simple yet perfectly elegant, like Pepper.

"Tony…." Natasha whispered sorrowful and gentle turning away from the beautiful view to face the genius who was just standing near the door watching her warily. "Tony Pepper didn't know about this house because it was surprise wasn't it? For her?" Natasha barley whispered it but Tony cringed at her words like she had screamed them, and visibly started shaking. "Uh- Uh Yeah. For her… next month I had been planning too….." His voice quavered and shrunk and slowly he moved his hand to his pocket and with shaky hands pulled out a glittering ring.

Natasha let out a horrified gasp her hand flying up to her face, feeling horrible as Tony stared at it then threw it angrily, tears surfacing in his eyes as the ring bounced against the wall. "The only woman I ever thought of proposing to, and she leaves me before I even got the chance for her to say no. Ah well guess I can be Clint's best man." He hissed bitterly stomping away and calling over his shoulder in a barley controlled voice layered with emotion. "Pick any room I don't care anymore."

Natasha opened her mouth to speak, to comfort him; anything. It was no use, she was speechless and before she got the chance to reply he was gone. Natasha felt her heart break for Tony. He was going through a unique sort of hell that no one should ever have to suffer through. He had to hide in the place he planned on starting his future with Pepper to recover from the end of it. It was bitterly ironic and Natasha hated it.

Wearily Natasha dropped onto the love seat, head in hands when she out of habit decided to check her phone and scowled at what she saw. 13 missed calls from Clint, 10 from Pepper, 6 from Bruce and 4 from Steve. Angrily she threw her phone to the other side of the love seat and fell back into it burning her head into the soft velvet pillow and sighing. She couldn't even think about that woman right now. She knew it was unfair to hate Pepper, but she couldn't help it right now, not while Tony was shattered and mangled trying to desperately put himself together again alone.

Clint on the other hand she was so confused about it hurt her head. She knew she still loved Clint; she'd be a fool to deny something so obvious. She hated him a bit though, for helping hurt Tony so badly. For keeping it from her, when she always tells him everything, break up or not. It stung and she felt betrayed, when that made no sense considering if anyone was betrayed it was Tony. Even if it was unintentional. This was why she was here though wasn't it? To sort through her screwed up emotions…. and so Tony wasn't putting himself together alone. Just the thought of Tony sent a strange ache through her heart, and warmed it at the same time. For once Natasha wasn't sure what to make of that.


	5. Chapter 5

Natasha woke to the smell of coffee and pancakes and she rose to see she was still on the love seat, just a new blanket carefully placed on top of her. She hadn't meant to fall asleep on the love seat last night, just the emotional drama and jet lag getting to her. "Tony?" She said sleepily as she heard quiet movement in the kitchen, standing slowly keeping the blanket wrapped around her shoulders for no particular reason other than her sleepy brain.

She stumbled into the kitchen and smiled brightly at the sight before her. Tony was sitting a giant plate of pancakes on the table, with warmed up syrup and two cups of coffee. He had a tired expression, but was still smiling softly, contradicting the haunted look in his eyes. "Good morning Sleeping Beauty." She smiled wide in response and rolled her eyes dropping into a seat and eyeing the pancakes suspiciously. "Thought you couldn't cook?" Tony smiled mischievously but a little sadly. "Naww, just haven't done it in years so I told everyone I couldn't so I wouldn't be put on the cooking roster at the Tower."

Natasha face palmed and laughed, the blanket falling to the floor by the chair. "That's so you, avoiding work by faking lack of talent. Fine, what have you created this time Stark?" He chuckled nervously for a moment and she raised an eyebrow in curiosity for a moment before he coughed shakily. "Well, um strawberry pancakes with whipped crème, I know they're your favorite, and coffee with a drop of crème and two sugars."

Natasha eyes lit up in shock. Strawberry pancakes were indeed her favorite, but there should have been no way for Tony to know that, considering strawberry pancakes were not allowed in the tower because of Pepper. "Thank- Thank you Tony. That's really sweet." She muttered shocked, the butterflies fluttering in happiness as Tony's face lit up in a huge-real- smile. The seemingly endless sadness dissipating from his eyes for a moment before he quickly hid his contentment, shoving the pancakes towards her, pulling one off the top for himself and sitting across from her, drowning his pancakes in syrup as sunlight poured its way into the cozy kitchen, his brown eyes shining in the light.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment before Tony sighed meeting her gaze hesitantly. "I'm sorry about last night Natasha. It was not cool for me to blow up like that, it wasn't your fault. I was upset, and I'm warning you it's probably going to happen for a while. I can get you a jet back to New York in a second if you want, I won't blame you."

Natasha actually was taken aback a bit staring at the billionaire in awe. "Tony….that was totally fine. You have every right to be upset. I'm not going anywhere though, sorry." Tony eyed her warily for moment before nodding softly and standing. "If you find that ring, get rid of it, sell it, whatever. I never want to see it again. You can have this house after this trip if you want it too. I can tell you like it, and while I'm not selling it to a stranger, I don't think I can ever bring myself back here after." The last part of his sentence was barely audible, and Natasha had barley opened her mouth before Tony once again disappeared in a hurry and Natasha growled in frustration, cursing silently in Russian, poking the strawberry pancakes irritably.


	6. Chapter 6

"Pepper?" Clint said warily hobbling into Pepper's guest room on the new boot he'd finally talked medical into instead of those damn crutches. Everything was quiet except for a quiet rustling of pages and Clint sighed having a decently good idea what his new girlfriend was up to.

"In here Clint." Came Pepper's gentle reply and he nodded sadly, the tone of her voice confirming his suspicions. He limped into her bedroom and found her sprawled across the bed, thousands of pictures of Tony and deeds to Tony's houses surrounding her. She was propped up on her elbows, hair tied back in a falling out ponytail, her face red and puffy from crying.

His heart lurched and he was at her side in an instant, hand on her back softly. He placed a quick kiss to her head and he eyed the pictures and deeds. "You alright honey?" He said softly, running his hand though her hair, contentment filling him for a moment before Tony's broken expression popped into his head and the guilt started eating at him again. He knew that he couldn't be 100% happy with Pepper until Tony was okay again, and he had a strong suspicion it was the same for Pepper.

"I'm fine." She breathed and he just quirked an eyebrow at the obvious lie. "You miss him." He said without skipping a beat, not even a trace of jealousy coating the words. He knew very well Pepper was still in love with Tony, as he was still in love with Nat, they were just happier with each other. That didn't make the other feelings go away.

"I just-" Her voice caught and the picture she was holding fell to the bed, her blue eyes slamming shut and she buried her head in Clint's chest. Clint just hummed gently, encouraging her to continue. She had been there for his break up with Nat, after all.

"I loved him Clint. You know that, I love you more, I do. It's just that it took me so long to convince him that he could be loved at all, and I feel as if I destroyed him. I know I'm going to miss him, but I couldn't bring myself to not be with you. I love you so much. Now I broke my promise, and I left him like everyone else in his life did. Am I a horrible person Clint?" Clint immediately tightened his grip around her, his arms wrapping protectively around her.

"Shhhh, no Pepper. Of course not. You are the most perfect person I have ever met. You haven't really left Tony, and he knows that. We'll both always be there for him, even if you aren't romantically involved with him anymore. You can still be close, Nat and I are. It's okay to miss him Pepper, I miss him, I miss Natasha too. We're only human baby, we'll find him. Don't' worry."

Pepper smiled up at Clint, and reached up placing a soft kiss to his lips. He smirked and went back to stroking her hair. "Did Steve and Bruce come to apologize to you yet?" He said softly and she chuckled bitterly. "Yes. Even Jarvis. Bruce said he wasn't sorry he got angry, that what we did was wrong, but he overreacted. Jarvis just said he's overprotective, and knows I still care about Tony, and Steve basically just said "I'm sorry" and booked. I know they're still going to be mad, it's kind of a given reaction." Clint smiled and rolled his eyes. "I got pretty much the same drill, just meaner. Everyone loves you; you're too pretty to be mad at." Pepper hit his arm playfully and they both laughed, and Pepper's heart fluttered. She hated hurting Tony, but she couldn't fight love.

…

"Tony?" Natasha said warily, stepping down into the lab of the smaller house, which was truly just the basement converted. The stench of alcohol hit her nose quickly and she sighed. She knew this was going to happen sooner or later. Tony hardily drank anymore, true, but this was something so painfully even Tony wasn't strong enough not to try and escape reality for a while.

"T-sha?" Was the garbled, drunken slur she received in response and sighed sadly, gathering her patience and stepping into the lab to hunt down the drunken billionaire most likely laying on the floor somewhere.

"Tony?" She repeated, and this time only heard and groan in response, over by the desk towards the center of the room and made her way over to it peering over it to see Tony, surely enough laying on the floor, throwing up a rubber ball in the air over and over and catching it.

Natasha shook her head and walked over to the man, glaring at him and getting only a goofy smile in return. "Natasha!-Y-'re pr-ty, ya know t'at?" He slurred proudly and she groaned in exasperation bending down to be face to face with the not- so-smart-right-now- genius. "Tony, come on. Lunch, then nap."

Tony pouted for a moment, and she gave him her best Black Widow Death Glare. He stared for a moment in defiance then submitted, rolling over too quickly and standing drunkenly. "Fine." He mumbled as Natasha grabbed his arm, so he wouldn't fall, and guided him up the stairs, back towards the living room. He wrapped one arm around her and leaned on her gently, letting him support some of his weight as one hand idly played with her hair, eyes wide and innocent like a child playing with a new toy, and Natasha just didn't have the heart to snap at him.

They finally stumbled up to the kitchen and she dumped him on the loveseat, trying not to laugh when he fell into the seat with a confused "Omff!"As she slipped into the kitchen and grabbed him a package of Pop-Tarts before strolling back into the living room and plopping down next to him, shoving the food in the drunken man's lost face. He stared at her hand for a moment and cocked his head to the side adorably before taking it from her hand. He munched quietly and Natasha looked up towards the ceiling in habit of looking up to talk to Jarvis.

"Jarvis, play the Matrix movies will you? Tony likes those ones right?" She said nonchalantly and there was a slight pause before the T.V. flickered on and Jarvis replied almost too happily. "_Yes Ms. Romanov."_

Natasha smirked in victory for the moment when suddenly Tony's eyes drooped slightly and he fell over into her lap, eyes half lidded and watching the T.V. Semi Aware. Natasha froze in hesitation before slowly lifting her fingers to run through the billionaire's hair and slowly began to relax as the movie began. She didn't think too much about how her heart was racing at the contact.


	7. Chapter 7

Tony's eyes fluttered open lazily and he was about to groan when he felt the warmth surrounding him and his breath froze in his chest when he looked up and saw Natasha sleeping peacefully, leaning back on the couch, strong arms holding Tony in her lap to keep the still a little drunken man from rolling off the couch. Her hair was fawned out around her, the flickering light of the T.V the only light in the room. Jarvis must have turned them off when she drifted off. Tony admired the almost luminescent glow of her perfect skin in the pale light; her fiery red curls a bright beacon in contrast to her skins pale glow. She looked stunning, like a sleeping princess right out of the fairytales.

"_She's just…..breathtaking. I mean I knew she was beautiful, but how have I never noticed how perfect she is?" _Tony thought in awe of the unique woman next to him. Suddenly the image of Pepper popped into his head along with Clint's and he scowled at his rhetorical questions answer. "_Stop fooling yourself Stark. So Natasha breathtakingly beautiful and obviously has more of a heart than she admitted before and is also really smart and funny and…well crap. Still, even more reason she'd never go for a guy like you. If Clint couldn't hold onto a girl like that a screw up like you wouldn't stand a chance. Get it out of your head. It can't even be an idea anymore."_

Tony shook himself out of it and sighed, tossing those thoughts aside. He wasn't going to let this budding attraction of his get in the way of the promising friendship he and Natasha were building. There wasn't any point in looking after things that wouldn't happen anyway.

Suddenly Natasha shuffled underneath him and he froze instantly. If Natasha awoke startled then he could very well get a knife to the gut. He needed to ease the assassin into conciseness. Tony took a deep breath and shifted ever so slightly and with slightly trembling hands reached out and stroked Natasha's hair, and whispered softly. "Hey Nat, It's just me, just Tony. Wake up eh?"

Her expression went from peaceful to confused and suddenly shining blue eyes fluttered open and looked at him shocked. He just smiled and withdrew his hand as her body relaxed and she realized it was him. He slipped out of her lap and lay out next to her as she took in her surroundings.

"Thanks for grabbing me from the lab in my drunken idiocy Tasha." He said quietly and the redhead flashed him a fond smile that he just couldn't help but return. "Not a problem Tony. Just don't make it a habit." She got up and stretched, her body stiff from sitting in one spot to long and he ran a hand through his ruffled hair and glanced at T.V seeing that Matrix 3 was playing. He smiled then and stretched out.

"Jarvis what time is it?" He yawned as he felt his body pop from the stretching. God maybe he was getting old.

"10:46 P.M , sir." Tony's eyebrows shot up to almost his hairline. "I was out that long!?" Natasha just looked at the ruffled genius's baffled expression and broke out laughing, earning her a halfhearted glare. She smiled at him and shook her head in exasperation. "Yes Tony, you were. Maybe if you would just sleep more you wouldn't be out hours instead of napping like a normal person."

Tony rolled his eyes as Natasha fell back onto the love seat and the lights slowly got brighter as Jarvis brightened them at a pace that wouldn't hurt his eyes. "Well Warrior Princess, what do you want to do?"

Natasha smiled at him but raised an eyebrow taking in Tony, trying not to laugh at his nearly comical anxiety. "How about we go have a picnic?"


End file.
